The Pollution is the introduction of a polluting agent into a natural environment that causes harminstability, disorder or imbalance, both in an ecosystem and in a living being. In general, the consequences of contamination or pollution are derived from human activities.
Los heavy metals, microplastics, hydrocarbons, pesticides and acidic substances They are the main pollutants of our environment. The problem is not limited to the harmful presence of these substances, but rather they are absorbed by the soil, which affects the quality and health of the crops.
We pollute the planet
Antonio Turiel is a CSIC researcher at the Barcelona Institute of Marine Sciences. He has recently been interviewed by Lluís Amiguet for “La Contra” by La Vanguardia. In his answers, Turiel is accurate and profound. And we completely agree with some of his statements and, furthermore, we like the type of concepts he uses.
Yes. We really like Antonio Turiel’s way of calling things. That is, by name. We believe that his speech on climate change is very accurate. Indeed, quoting him, “Climate change is the fourth of the six major threats facing the planet”. Because right now it seems that climate urgency is everything, but it is not like that, far from it. Turiel points out: “Climate change is worrying and serious.”
But, according to him, it is not the main problem that Gaia faces. According to Turiel, the first crossroads that Humanity faces is called “New Entities”. What are you talking about? According to Turiel: “Microplastics; heavy metals such as mercury; toxic substances of all kinds; and more and more… The second threat is the reduction of biodiversity”. It must be said that these problems feed on each other: the more toxic substances in the environment… the less diversity. The more toxic and less biodiversity… the more global warming… and vice versa. Turiel asserts that the second threat is also dangerous for humans, “because only biodiversity guarantees the clean water and air that we need.
Pollution due to agribusiness
The Third threat is pollution caused by agriculture: nitrogen and phosphorus peaks; slurry, nitrites in the mouth water… There are dead zones in the Mar Menor where nothing grows anymore. History repeats itself in many other areas of the planet.”
The Industrial agriculture is at the origin of a large part of these “new entities” which are the first threat to life and are also the third major problem that plagues humanity. Turiel is a man of science and has the reliable data to make the relevant statements. We are not scientists, but we have been warning about the same thing for a long time. 40 years ago, Vida Sana and BioCultura were created to look for alternatives to that chemical agriculture that destroys everything it passes through. Four decades ago, we were already talking about how perfidious these “new Entities” could be.
Soil modification
For Turiel, the fifth threat is “changes in land use. Half of the earth’s surface is already dedicated to agriculture. It generates problems of erosion, deforestation… And the sixth threat is the loss of fresh water. “There are fewer and fewer.” And industrial agriculture is also linked to that fifth threat and the sixth, of course, because it contaminates the few water resources we have”.
If we analyze it carefully, current global agri-food, according to Turiel and according to anyone who has common sense, is the eye of the hurricane of the main problems we face, because it also multiplies planetary warming. Conclusion? We need an urgent transition towards agroecology and change the agri-food model in a radical way. If not, as Turiel says, ecofascisms will arrive very soon, if they are not already here. Very few people with energy and resources; and many people, the majority, in misery and famine. This is what is coming if we are not able to turn the tables. May God take us confessed…